ISO 27001:2022
Information Security

Information is the lifeblood of any business – this is especially true if your clients have entrusted their valuable data to you. Maintaining an Information Security Management System (ISMS) is the most effective way of reducing the risk of suffering a data breach.

An ISMS is a systematic approach to managing the security of sensitive information and is designed to identify, manage and reduce the range of threats to which your information is regularly subjected.

The basic bones of ISO 27001 requires that you:

• Systematically examine your organisation’s information security risks, taking account of the threats, vulnerabilities, and impacts.

• Design and implement a coherent and comprehensive suite of information security controls and/or other forms of risk treatment (such as risk avoidance or risk transfer) to address those risks that are deemed unacceptable.

• Adopt an overarching management process to ensure that the information security controls continue to meet your organisation’s information security needs on an on-going basis.

Yes, there is a lot of detail around the standard, but its essence is actually as simple as this.

The majority of organisations will generally have a range of different information security controls in place. However, without a formal ISMS these controls tend to be somewhat disorganised, haphazard and disjointed.

The reason for this is that the controls have often been implemented over a number of years to firefight specific solutions for specific problems. For example, you used one IT company to put up a firewall but get your antivirus software from an online subscription; you use access cards, but it’s only in the last few years you’ve started collecting them from people leaving the company; you’ve started issuing guidelines to new starters that define business practices applying to employee equipment and internet usage, but don’t know if it’s been issued to employees who’ve been with you for a while now.

Security controls should not be chosen or implemented arbitrarily. They should flow out of an organisation’s risk management process, which begins with defining an overall IT security strategy, then its goals. This should be followed by defining specific control objectives - practical ways the organisation plans to effectively manage this risk. This is where ISO 27001 comes in.

There are a whole host of benefits to putting in an ISO 27001 management system, such as:

• Demonstrating credibility when tendering for contracts

• Showing you are taking cyber security threats seriously

• Avoiding penalties and financial losses due to data breaches

• Removing the need to complete detailed security questionnaires on supply chains

• Giving yourself a proven marketing edge against your competitors

• Meeting increasing client demands for greater data security

• Protecting and enhance your reputation

• Proving to all stakeholders such as your suppliers and partners that your - and their - data is secure

• Meeting national and global security laws

Certification to ISO 27001 is not a requirement of the standard but can be a useful tool to demonstrate that you meet its criteria. One of the fundamental core requirements in the main body of ISO 27001 is to identify, assess, evaluate and treat information security risks, and having an independent third party audit can be crucial in ensuring these risks are being effectively managed.

It's important to recognise ISO certification is not a single event, but rather an ongoing process that ensures your business complies with the requirements of its chosen standard.

The certification cycle is a three-year programme which starts with the Stage One audit. We investigate whether or not you have successfully managed to comply with the proposed scope and the targets you have set for your company. While this may show up some weaknesses and areas for improvement, this process is designed to be constructive, preparing you for the Stage Two audit.

Typically around 30 days later you will then have a Stage Two audit. This confirms that your processes and systems are free from nonconformities. Again, we will evaluate your performance and efficiency and make the recommendations for certification. There may still be a need to address nonconformities following this audit, but it's at this point you get your ISO certification.

The following two years will see annual Surveillance Audits by us. During these, all the elements covered in the Stage Two audit are re-assessed with a view to ensuring that all the original systems and processes are operating as specified and producing the correct outcomes.

Following these two years of Surveillance Audits, you will then get a Recertification Audit. Your ISO certificate is valid for three years after its initial issue. Recertification requires you to undergo an audit similar to the initial auditing process without the need for a Stage One audit.

Choosing AAA for your ISO certification means partnering with a trusted and experienced team dedicated to making the process as easy and efficient as possible. Our fully remote, expert-guided approach ensures that you can achieve certification quickly without the hassle of on-site audits or complicated procedures.

We offer some of the most competitive pricing in the industry, starting at just £695+VAT, making high-quality certification accessible to all businesses. Additionally, our detailed guidance and support throughout the process ensure that you meet all ISO standards with confidence, resulting in a certification that enhances your credibility and opens up new opportunities for growth.